I had trouble the first few days at the hospital with my milk not coming in till the 7th day! My mum also had the same problem so I think it was in the genes. I had no idea that breastfeeding was so hard! All throughout my pregnancy I was reading so many books on the actual birth process, taking care of a newborn, sleeping habits etc. and I skipped over the breast feeding topics thinking that it was easy. Boy was I so wrong!
Lucas was dehydrated, crying constantly and of course I had little sleep. I just kept trying to breast feed him as it was the only way to stop his crying but he will just nod off to sleep or he will fuss and overall he wasn't sucking much. To top it off he developed jaundice (the yellow skin) and this made him very sleepy and sometimes will sleep through his feeding times. Me too!
By the third and fourth day I was desperate and crying because Lucas was so unhappy and losing so much weight. Finally someone suggested to me on the 5th day to try pumping. It helped a bit and the milk came in very slowly- I think it was too late. My milk suply steadily increased but it was still not enough to keep him satisfied so I had to top up with formula. Now he is a happy chubber!
The pressure to breastfeed is very stressful at the hospital and to get formula each time you had to sign a form which made me feel even worse. I felt so guilty that I couldn't provide breast milk for my baby and it didn't help that the staff were pushing me to keep trying when obviously Lucas was starving!
After the decision to do combined breast and formula for Lucas we are both doing well and I wasn't so stressed out. I can now enjoy my baby without feeling so rundown and tired all the time.
All I can say is that you should try breast feed as soon as possible and frequently (every two hours I was told!) And don't feel bad if it doesn't work out. Bottle formula is the next best thing for you baby as long as you're both healthy and happy!
He does this everytime he is about to wake up. And if I don't go to him quick enough, he will start to wail! He definitely isn't the most angelic baby! haha
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Don't feel bad! A lot of my friends had trouble producing enough milk for their babies too. I remember when my little sister was born, my mother had no milk come out at all. She said she made plenty for her first two children, but she was much older when she had my baby sister (she was 39). Lucas is adorable!!
Hi,again..Lucas is adorable!! You know,I have 5 siblings and my youngest brother is 10 years younger than me.When he was born he got yellow skin too.Since that time I was 10,so I still remembered what my mum did to him.My mum put him under the morning sun.She said this will cured his yellow skin.Until now I still not sure whether this is the right way,but my brother seem OK after that.Haha..just share some experience with you.Happy day,new mommy!
Thanks guys! I think I have much to learn so it makes me feel better that other people have been through it too:)Sometimes I think I get too paranoid! haha
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